Dykstra is a Frisian surname describes a person who lived by a dyke.
The name was "Americanized" to Dykstra after Frisian settlers arrived and settled in the United States.
The Dykstra/Dijkstra family was integral to the settlement of the area and for the introduction of modern farming practices.
[citation needed] Many Dykstras settled in Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, California, New York, and New Jersey.
They became a very successful bunch in businesses such as medicine, dentistry, waste management, banking, and architecture.